Principal Mechanical Engineer — Power Plant Systems

American Electric Power; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 116,000 - 151,000; Full time

Job summary

American Electric Power is seeking a Mechanical Engineer Principal to support gas, coal, and renewable plant retrofit and new-generation self-build projects by defining mechanical design-basis expectations and procuring rotating and static equipment, piping, and structures.

The role requires advanced knowledge of natural gas simple cycle and combined cycle equipment, turbine and HRSG systems, and integration with balance-of-plant.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with ABET accreditation preferred.
• PE license preferred; extensive power-plant mechanical design experience.
• Experience with gas, coal, and renewable energy projects and RFx reviews.

Responsibilities

• Develop mechanical design basis for plant equipment including turbines, HRSGs, boilers, piping and structures.
• Review and approve mechanical designs, drawings, and calculations with AE and EPC teams.
• Prepare procurement specs and RFx deliverables; liaise with OEMs and vendors.
• Provide construction, commissioning, and lifecycle support including field inspections and punch lists.
• Ensure compliance with codes such as ASME, API, and NFPA; support reliability and obsolescence mitigation.

Skills

Turbomachinery

Vibration analysis

Piping stress analysis

Rotating equipment

CFD/FEA

CAD design

P&IDs interpretation

Engineering calculations

Communication skills

Education

ABET-accredited engineering degree

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

AutoCAD

MicroStation

MathCAD

MATLAB

SolidWorks

PDMS/AVEVA

Excel

Job description

American Electric Power is seeking a Mechanical Engineer Principal to support gas, coal, and renewable plant retrofit and new-generation self-build projects by defining mechanical design-basis expectations and procuring rotating and static equipment, piping, and structures.

The role requires advanced knowledge of natural gas simple cycle and combined cycle equipment, turbine and HRSG systems, and integration with balance-of-plant.